“Apprenticeship to Jesus is about turning your body into a temple, a place of overlap between heaven and earth—an advance sign of what one day Jesus will do for the entire cosmos, when heaven and earth are at long last reunited as one. This is the single most extraordinary opportunity in the entire universe: to let your body become God’s home. And it’s set before you every single day.” ― John Mark Comer, Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus. Become like Him. Do as He did.
Jesus said lots of things that aren’t immediately easy to understand. Fully grasping what He said requires careful scripture study with some help from the Holy Spirit. In the gospel of John, Jesus makes a puzzling statement that is not so hard to understand as much as it is hard to believe: “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father” (John 14:12). So how do we “do the same works.”
Scripture tells us that Jesus was a carpenter. “Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us…” (Mark 6:3). It’s likely that He learned the trade from His father, Joseph, but we know Jesus was more than just a carpenter, and His work as a carpenter doesn’t define His identity as the Son of God.
But imagine if you were an apprentice carpenter learning from Jesus in Biblical times. It would be safe to say you would be a sponge, soaking up the knowledge He shared and following Him around to watch His techniques, His choice of wood and tools, and the process in which He creates His work. We would ask questions and avail ourselves of every opportunity to soak up all the information we could to not only how to do things but do things His way. After all, He He is the master craftsman, and we are the apprentices.
Over time, we’d go from being in the way to practicing the Jesus method of carpentry. One day, we may have apprentices of our own to pass along what we learned from Jesus.
You probably see the connection to today. Jesus has a way of doing things, and we are supposed to do the things He does the way He says to do them. Jesus’ life emphasized acts of compassion, love, service, and actively sharing the Gospel, encouraging believers to emulate these actions in their daily lives, mirroring Jesus’ ministry by reaching out to the marginalized, demonstrating forgiveness, and prioritizing the needs of others, all while guided by the Holy Spirit. We need to do as He did.
“The joyful news that He is Risen does not change the contemporary world. Still before us lie work, discipline, sacrifice” (St Augustine).
Discussion Questions:
- What is the barrier to understanding Jesus’ actions, identifying core principles of His ministry like love, compassion, and service, and then reflecting on how to practically apply those principles in your own life?